How to Advocate Automation to the Business Board as a CTO

As the chief technology officer (CTO) for your business, you’ll understand the benefits of automation, your affiliate marketing tools for example.

15:18 10 March 2022

As the chief technology officer (CTO) for your business, you’ll understand the benefits of automation, your affiliate marketing tools for example. These are wide-ranging and numerous, and we’ll discuss some of them in a little more detail in this article. 

 

But mention the word “automation” to your business board, and you might be faced with worry and concern. There are those who believe automation will lead to a lack of jobs. Some of the business board may think the shift toward automated technologies is a waste of money. 

 

These are both valid concerns, but they aren't entirely accurate. Every time there’s a shift towards new technologies, there’s the worry that jobs will be eliminated. This is certainly the cause when talking about automation, but while some jobs will be lost, employment opportunities will be created too. 

 

In a report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), it was suggested that the rise of machines and automation would eliminate 85 million jobs by 2025. In that same report, however, the WEF expected 97 million new jobs to be created, meaning an additional 12 million jobs because of automation.

 

When it comes to the argument that automation is a waste of money, you’ll know this isn't the case. Automation is a crucial part of a new business management process, thanks to the efficiency and speed at which tasks can be accomplished. 

 

As the CTO of your company, you might need to gather research to defend your arguments re. why automation is good for your enterprise digital strategy. You may have to discover more about the current state of AI and its use in business, for example, finding examples that illustrate its potential worth to your company. This will help you to make your case, as will the strategies listed below. 

 

#1: Focus On The Problems Automation Can Solve

When discussing automation, you must mitigate the fear factor. One way to do this is by distracting your business board away from their negative beliefs. While they may think automation is problematic, you need to position it as a solution to the challenges that exist in your workplace. These might include:

 

• Time-consuming business processes
• The high cost of employee training
• Unproductive employees

 

These problems can all be overcome through automation. That’s because it can:

• Speed up business processes
• Manage tasks employees aren't proficient in 
• Increase productivity by freeing up employee time and resources

 

By focusing on the day-to-day challenges automation can solve, you will slowly start to persuade the more skeptical members of your business board. 

 

 

#2: Back Up Your Arguments

Preaching the benefits of automation is one thing; you also need to back up what you’re saying. It's easy to use corporate speak, including phrases such as "better productivity" and "increased efficiency," but without evidence, you may become unstuck during your meeting. 

 

So, talk about other software solutions when discussing the problems your business has encountered. You can do this by pointing out the best RPA tools on the market and explaining how they will make a positive difference to your business. You can also propose ways to implement training and getting an RPA Certification for your team which can build solid credibility.

 

Then talk about the real-life challenges employees in your company have faced and suggest ways automation could help them overcome these. It might be you bring an employee or manager to the meeting to give first-hand evidence of these workplace challenges. 

 

Finally, don't simply sit and talk to the business board. Find ways to engage them by visualizing your data. This will make any complicated points easier to understand. 

 

 

#3: Predict Future Outcomes

Nobody knows what the future hold, but fairly accurate predictions can be made. If you feel your business is under threat because of outdated business transcription processes, bring along financial projections that suggest this might be the case. 

 

If your business has already made a loss because of inefficient business practices, detail how the situation could worsen. When you let the board know how automated software could improve business profits and fix issues, they should soon sit up and take notice!

 

Of course, your business doesn't need to be making a loss. Even if it’s doing quite well, let the board know how automation will further enhance profits. You can do this in relation to improved productivity when talking about business tasks that can be automated. Work with your financial representatives to come up with a chart explaining why automation will be cost-effective in the long term. 

 

#4: Talk About the Benefits Of Marketing Automation

Marketing efforts can be streamlined and made more effective with marketing automation. When the right tools are used, businesses can:

 

• Improve their marketing campaigns
• Free up time to focus on other aspects of their marketing strategy
• Get a detailed picture of prospective customers
• Personalize marketing messages
• Improve search engine rankings through automated SEO audits
• Track results and measure ROI

 

Discuss these benefits when talking to the board about the marketing automation software your business could be using. You might mention Hootsuite or Buffer as tools that could improve your business's social media marketing, or when talking about generating new leads, discuss the benefits of LeadSquared or LeadFeeder. 

 

You could also talk about tools that improve email marketing. These could include Moosend and Pabby when discussing the importance of a personalized newsletter builder. Or you might discuss in your virtual learning when speaking about streamlining campaigns. 

 

These are just a few examples of marketing automation tools, and there are many more available. Their benefits to a business are numerous, above and beyond the advantages listed earlier. 

 

For your business board, the takeaway is this: marketing automation can generate new customers and improve company profits. Explain how this is possible in relation to automated software and its benefits to marketing personnel.

 

 

#5: Find Other People To Champion Automation

This strategy is very useful, especially if you're nervous about approaching your business board alone. Whether you're meeting them face to face or online video calling with them, they can be intimidating if they're skeptical. 

 

Despite your best attempts to look professional, be that by the suit you wear or the virtual PBX phone system you choose, you may still fumble with your words if you're the lone voice of reason. 

 

When you have several voices saying the same thing, you’ll have an easier time with the board. While they’ll hopefully be respectful of you regardless of their opinion, they’ll place more trust in your views if you have others on your side to champion automation. 

 

We touched on this earlier when we suggested bringing in employees to discuss the advantages. These are the people on the ground; the people who, on a daily basis, will deal with inefficient business practices. To convince the board of the importance of automation, the real-life testimony of an employee is useful.

 

There are other people you could bring in to help with your argument. Consider areas of your business where automation is already being used. There may be aspects of call center automation that have been introduced, for example, or the ecommerce team could have automated inventory tracking solutions at their disposal. Members of these teams will be able to evidence the benefits of automation, so bring them along to help make your case. 

 

Ask your representatives to discuss how automation has:

• Given them more time to focus on other areas of work
• Reduced the potential for human error
• Improved task tracking
• Made complicated tasks easier to manage
• Streamlined manual processes to improve efficiency and productivity

 

With real-world validation of the way automation has benefited them, you’ll have the opportunity to back up your proposals. We recommend you foster collaborations with data analysts in your business to gather the relevant figures for your meeting. 

 

You could also look outside of your business to find people to champion automation. If you have connections with other business leaders or chief technology officers, acquire written testimony from them. 

 

This will be a reminder to the board that other businesses are implementing automation in their operations. You can use this fact to alert them to your competition. Let them know that, to survive in the cut-throat world of business, there’s a need to adapt to the digital tranformation taking place. 

 

Use real-world examples of businesses that failed in this regard, such as Kodak and Blockbusters, who underestimated the technological changes happening in their respective industries. 

 

For further evidence of the benefits of automation, look to the examples of industry leaders and experts in automation. Search for relevant podcasts, white papers, and conference videos, and use these to demonstrate the validity of your arguments when making your presentation. 

 

#6: Make Sure You Have The Right Answers

 

 

When it comes to a meeting where you’re the host, being prepared is key. This is especially true when advocating for something that may be alien to the people you’re presenting to. When discussing automation, it's possible the business board will have little understanding of the topic, or that the understanding they have is based on speculative, doom-laden reports given by the media. 

 

Have answers to questions they might ask during the meeting. We’ve already alluded to some of these within this article, although you’ll still need to research facts and figures to a more thorough degree.

 

Potential questions may include:

• How will automation benefit the business?
• How will automation affect employee jobs?
• How much will it cost to implement automation technologies?
• Is automation a long-term solution?
• What types of automation exist?
• What tasks can be automated?
• Is there any evidence that automation works?

 

Consider each question before video calling the board members and gather the info you need. As suggested, you might collect financial projections to demonstrate how automation could improve business profits. There are also stats and examples you can pull from the internet, as well as reports you can collect from workplace employees and managers. 

 

Be sure to present your answers clearly and coherently. Make use of PowerPoint presentations, video interviews, or other visual techniques when clarifying points. Be succinct with your answers to ensure the board remains engaged with what you say. Clarify all process versus procedure you will propose to undertake. The more equipped you are, the better, and in terms of your nerves, you’ll feel steadier if you're prepared for this questioning.

 

Finally

The benefits of automation are many, but explaining these to a business board isn't always easy. There’ll be those who are skeptical for the reasons mentioned earlier, and there might be those who are afraid of the supposed 'threats' AI and robotic technologies can bring. You can thank James Cameron and the Terminator movies for that!

 

However, as we’ve discussed in this article, there’s much you can do to help your cause. Focusing on the problems automation can solve is a start, and you can then move onto specific examples to back up your arguments.

 

The next step is to show the board what’s made possible through automation. As we suggested, talk about improved business profits, better marketing, and future-proofing. You can back up your arguments with the words of industry leaders and employees from your business. And you can arm yourself with answers to any questions the business board might throw at you. 

 

Within this, be passionate about automation and apply its utility to the long-term objectives of your company. Your eagerness to promote it, with value-added statements that make sense when discussing company goals, could win the business board to your side. 

So, do what you can to discuss the benefits of automation and listen to the concerns of the board. Then work together to mitigate any risks and collaborate with one another to ensure the successful implementation of automation in your business. 

 

 

Bio:

Marjorie Hajim

Marjorie Hajim is the SEO Manager for EMEA at RingCentral, a leading cloud communications company that provides VoIP and Microsoft Teams phone system. She develops and executes strategies for short-term and long-term SEO growth. In her spare time, she loves reading books at coffee shops and playing with her dogs.